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Maria is an aspiring "fit mom" of 3 children, writing about cloth diapers, going green, and her life as a single mom. Maria works with many companies within the cloth diaper industry and beyond, providing social media management, product development, and other services.

Thirsties Duo Diaper Review

Jun 7,2010 / By Maria / 12 Comments

I have heard people mention Thirsties duo-diapers when discussing night time diapering options, and a lot of people were interested in them after browsing the site for the fab wipes giveaway. I was able to get one at my favorite online cloth diaper store for $17 and change after coupon, free shipping, and I had a few bucks in my Paypal account.

Before I forget: Check out my “Cloth 101” post at Village of Moms. Today it’s basic cloth diaper types.

So here’s the deal with the Duo Diapers: they have the snap down rise that offers 3 sizes in 1 diaper, just like many one size pocket diapers, except Thirsties come in two sizes. Size one is supposed to fit 6-18 pounds (or 0-9 months) and size two fits 18-40 pounds (or 9-36 months.)

Many one size diapers say they will fit birth through potty training, but most people find they don’t fit well until the baby is around 10 pounds, and some say they don’t fit quite through potty training. That means even if you buy one size diapers, you could potentially have to buy three sets of sizes; newborn, one-size and XL/Toddler. With Thirsties, you’d only have to buy two.

My guy is just over 17 pounds, so I chose the size two in Ocean blue.

The double leg gusset is supposed to better contain messes, but I’m not sure how I feel about PUL potentially being directly against his skin (didn’t bother him though.)

One thing I love is that the pocket is open on both sides, which means you don’t have to pull inserts out before washing, woo-hoo!

The Duo Diaper has a unique insert as well. It has a two layer microfiber terry insert snapped to a 5 layer hemp jersey insert. You stuff the diaper with the microfiber facing the baby side (inside the pocket of course!)

The size two duo diaper on the small setting

and stretched

vs a Bumgenius 3.0 on the small setting

and stretched

Thirsties duo diaper size 2 on the large setting

Stretched

vs Bumgenius 3.0 on the large setting

stretched

Overall, the Duo Diaper size 2 is just a bit larger than a Bumgenius 3.0. Here they are one on top of the other, rises unsnapped.

Too bad they can’t “cuddle” and make some diaper babies! Wouldn’t that be cute, some wee little BG/Thirsties babies? Hee hee.

The small Thirsties setting seems to fit similarly to the Bumgenius 3.0 on the medium setting.

Notice that the microfleece inner was hanging out. I didn’t find info about this happening, so I figured it might wick if it was hanging out, and I fixed it.

It’s all good in the hood, but I prefer a diaper that doesn’t require any special instructions (make sure you do this or that, don’t let the xyz hang out!) I like diapers that anyone (who can put a sposie on) can just pick up and put on.

There’s a close up of the leg opening. If the PUL touched his skin, it didn’t bother him.

The first two times we used this diaper, he wore it for around two hours as usual. The third time, I put it on him before we went to drop my daughter off at preschool. It’s about 30 minutes round trip, but while we were out, my Mom asked if we could stop by before we headed home. I told her we couldn’t stay long since I didn’t have any diapers with me.

By the time we left, he’d had the diaper on for over 2 hours, around 2 1/2 by the time we got home. He fell asleep on the way, so I took him upstairs, nursed him and snuck him in bed, thinking it wouldn’t work. Well don’t you know that my little non-napper indeed napped. By the time I changed him, he had been wearing the diaper for over 4 hours! Eek! Not only did we have no leaks, but there wasn’t a hint of redness on his tush either!

Of course now I definitely want some size 1 Duo Diapers for my non-existent newborn baby! I know that the goal of all diaper companies is to get you to buy a complete stash of just their diapers, but I’d never recommend that. Buy one and see how it goes. If you like it, buy a few more. I still wouldn’t recommend putting your stash in one “basket” so to speak. Make sure you have a variety of brand and styles. As your baby’s shape, size and wetting habits change, things may not work quite the same for you. Or, something you loved at first, you might not like so much alter. Just sayin’.

See the size 1 on my newborn.

I also have to see how the velcro holds up over time. For now, it’s great!

All In One Diapers Guest Posting

My guest post series and a word about AI2s

Jun 5,2010 / By Maria / 3 Comments

>My first “intro” post on Village of Moms is up here. Over the next several days, there will also be a “cloth 101” type series of posts from my point of view. I’d love it if you checked it out. I will try to post as my posts are posted (ha, postity post post post.)

She’s also doing some cloth giveaways in the next few weeks!

My Cloth 101 posts had me thinking and I wanted to clarify. For a new cloth diaperer, all of the types of cloth diapers can be super overwhelming.

I always thought that an all in one was a diaper that looked most like a disposable, with the absorbent layers sewn in. You don’t have to do a thing but wash it. They usually look something like this:

An “all in two” was a diaper that consisted of a waterproof outer layer and a separate, absorbent soaker, that either lays in or snaps into the shell. Like this:

There are fitteds with soakers like this also, but since they don’t have a waterproof layer, they are fitteds (and need a cover) rather than all in twos.

So then there are what I call hybrids. Gdiapers, Flips, GroVia etc. They have a shell/cover that is used with various soaker pads, including disposable soakers.

Simple, right? Wrong! As diaper makers are trying to find their niche and make a unique product, the lines between diaper types are really becoming blurred. The same diaper style that’s sold as an all-in-two above (and by many other diaper makers as well) is sold as an all in one when it’s made by Goodmama.

Waterproof outer, snap in soaker…all in one. I had someone tell me that it was because the outer shell couldn’t be reused with a new soaker at the next diaper change. The inner of the shell has material that would get wet/dirty and would need to be washed. That the only true all in twos were the hybrid systems.

I respectfully disagree. I may not be as seasoned as some other cloth diapering moms, but if I buy an all in one, I expect a diaper that can be used, washed, dried and used again, with no extra steps. If it was two pieces, it’s an all in two. In my mind, all in two just means that it has two pieces, and the hybrids, while they are all in twos, are really a different breed.

In the end, it really doesn’t matter, just be careful when you’re buying and ask for details and inside photos if you’re not sure what you’re getting.

I guess I just wanted to throw this out there, since when I talked about All in Twos in my cloth 101 post, I really just talked about the hybrid systems. It can be disappointing to not be clear on what the diaper is like (which is why I hope you all like my blog!) I’ve bought all in ones that have sewn in soakers, sewn in in soakers with pockets, soakers that are only sewn at one end and have to be stuffed back in, snap in soakers and sewn in soakers with an extra flap soaker. I’ve bought fitteds with most of the same types of soakers as well! Then I’ve used at least two all in ones that were exactly the same as all in twos, but they were called all in ones. Very confusing!

I think the general definitions of “one” and “two” should drive the naming of diapers, not reusability of the shell, but that’s just my two cents!

Giveaway Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Planet Wise Wet Bag Giveaway Winner!

Jun 4,2010 / By Maria / No Comment

If you didn’t win, don’t despair! There’s a review and giveaway for a new Planet Wise product coming up in the next few weeks, along with a spotlight on Planet Wise!

The winner is Angela. Congratulations Angela, I’ve contacted you by email!

Apparel & Accessories Review Toys

Radio Flyer wood “classic walker wagon” for the Birthday boy!

Jun 3,2010 / By Maria / 2 Comments

We knew we wanted to get my son something “bigger” for his first birthday, especially since we only spent $20 for his first Christmas (in my defense, he was only 6 months old, didn’t care, and got tons from other people!) and didn’t do Easter stuff for him. I settled on a walking toy.

I looked around and most of the plastic ones were in the $40 and under range. I didn’t really want plastic though, so I looked (online) at the EverEarth Activity Walker and the Parents Around the Block Wagon. They both seemed OK, but still a little expensive for something that would be outgrown so quickly.

Then I found the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon. It was more than double the cost of the plastic walking toys, and more expensive than the other wooden ones as well.

I got a decent deal on it, free shipping and went through a cash back site. The site where I purchased it is also one that offers discounts to new customers, and referral credits as well. It was very expensive, but we didn’t do a party, I made the cake and this wagon will be played with long after cake and party favors are forgotten!

It was a breeze to put together, I sat on the laundry room floor and did it myself while I was waiting for a load of diapers to finish.

My Grandparents were visiting around my son’s birthday, and my Grandpa was surprised that the wagon is all wood (aside from the wheels & handle of course!)

It has a nice little “bumper” to protect your walls and doorways, and the stake sides easily come off so little ones can climb in and out, or put things in and take them out.

For me? I can’t believe it!! Note the adorable shirt! It was custom made for me by Nikki’s Little House. It is beautifully embroidered on a high quality shirt (not paper thin like some.) It was very reasonably priced too! I love that we have a unique Birthday shirt instead of the same one everyone else picked up at Gap.

He loves it! My son is ~~lazy~~ not walking yet, so thus far, he’s only riding in it, putting things in it, standing hanging onto it, or pushing it without moving his legs (and being caught by yours truly before the inevitable face-plant.) It has little plastic “clickers” that slow it down a little bit, to help him when he’s ready to start pulling up all by himself.

In closing, just for cutes:

Let ~~them~~ me eat cake!

Cloth Diapers Giveaway Made in Canada Review Sized Diapers Swim Diapers

Bummis Swimmi Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

Jun 1,2010 / By Maria / 325 Comments

I actually bought this Bummis Swimmi swim diaper over the winter, when I thought we were going to do swim lessons at the YMCA (we didn’t.) Notice the strange color of the first few photos, that’s because there was snow on the ground reflecting light into the windows!

The small fits 9-15 pounds, medium 15-22 pounds and large 22-30 pounds.

I got the turtle print, since it’s all I could find in a medium. It is cute though!

Like other disposable and reusable swim diapers, the Bummis Swimmi is not absorbent, and is simply designed to catch solid waste. It has a polyester mesh lining, sandwiched nylon and a printed cotton outer. It has very easy to use hook and loop closures.

This is my little guy at about 17 pounds and 28″ wearing a medium.

There’s not much to say about it! It’s cute, fits well, easy to use and should do the “job” fine! I would use it under a swimsuit if your baby can open velcro!

~~Want your own? Win it. I’m buying a Bummis Swimmi for one lucky blog reader.~~

How to enter:

Do as many or as few of the following as you like. You can do one without the other, though I don’t know why you’d skip the first one. 😉

1. Just leave me a comment on this blog post to get an entry.

2. Follow my blog publicly, comment saying you follow to get an entry.

3. Fan (Whatever! Old dog/new tricks and all) me on Facebook, comment saying so to get an entry.

4. Follow me on Twitter, comment saying so to get your entry. Just don’t “follow” me in a creepy way, heh.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Please include a link to this post and @chgdiapers. One tweet per day, comment with a link to your tweet to get your entry. You can use this tweet if you like: @chgdiapers has a #giveaway for a Bummis Swimmi reusable swim diaper http://bit.ly/aFZPbT (6/11)

6. Blog about this giveaway and link back to me.

I’ll accept entries until Friday, June 11th, 2010 at 9:00, P.M. EST. I will choose a winner with random.org’s true random number generator and email the winner. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only.

Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment if it isn’t visible in your profile. If you win and I can’t contact you, I will choose another winner.

The winner will choose her size, print and an alternate print from in stock prints. I will purchase the swim diaper for the winner and have it shipped directly to her. I reserve the right to make substitutions if necessary.

~~Please note that this review and giveaway is neither affiliated with nor sponsored, endorsed or approved by Bummis or Abby’s Lane LLC.~~

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Author Archives: Maria

Thirsties Duo Diaper Review

My guest post series and a word about AI2s

Planet Wise Wet Bag Giveaway Winner!

Radio Flyer wood “classic walker wagon” for the Birthday boy!

Bummis Swimmi Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

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